Ajax starts season in Doetinchem

On Thursday, the KNVB released the final competition schedule for the 2011/2012 season. Ajax will start the season in Doetinchem and end it in Arhem.

Ajax begins competition play in Doetinchem on Sunday, August 7, against De Graafschap. The match was set to start at 12.30 in the draft schedule; however the time has changed to 2.30p.m. Ajax plays the lunchtime match eight more times, against PSV (September 18), FC Utrecht (November 6), Feyenoord (January 29), Excelsior (February 26) and ADO Den Haag (March 18), and at home against Feyenoord (October 23), ADO Den Haag (December 18) and FC Utrecht (February 5).

The two evening matches will be, in theory, tough ones for the champion. Ajax will have a challenging month of September, with several big matches. UEFA Champions league matches are scheduled on September 13, 14, 27 and 28, and in addition, Ajax must travel to PSV on September 18, and receives FC Twente on the 24th. Around the time of the October European duel, Ajax will also have home matches against AZ and Feyenoord.

Ajax plays the most matches on Sunday, but one match occurs on Friday evening (on August 26, at home against Vitesse), and seven on Saturday evening. During the midweek rounds, 29 and 33, Ajax will visit sc Heerenveen on April 10, and play the last home match of the season against VVV Venlo on Wednesday, May 2.